ON THE DRAWING BOARD: D’IYANU, NORRISTOWN, PA

D’Iyanu makes modern clothing in stunning African Prints. Their new loft space in Norristown, Pennsylvania, had a lot of room for production and storage of inventory, but not a lot of character. Down2Earth Interior Design was called in to remedy that. Our mission was to create a space that was infused with the unique vibe of the D’Iyanu clothing line, and do it on a budget that was reasonable for a new fashion start-up. Our design team relied on off-the-shelf furniture and clever adaptation of D’Iyanu fabric to do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of creating a functional space that delivers bang for the buck.

The dynamic owners of D’Iyanu wanted the first room that a customer enters to convey the look and feel of the brand. The space needed to be a showroom for the latest styles, provide a venue for retail transactions, and be a comfortable waiting area for those accompanying clients who were getting custom fittings. Our design incorporates a large branding element in the form of the company logo, as well as display tables in the center and vertical clothing racks along the walls. Fabric partitions not only display a fabulous D’Iyanu print but also serve as a separator between the retail space and a kitchenette, and these partitions have the ability to be moved if the space needed to be opened up when hosting parties and other events.

Adjacent to the showroom is a design center, where customers can get a behind the scenes look at designers-at-work on their unique fashion pieces.

Additionally, a handicap-accessible fitting room area needed to be created so that customers could try on D’Iyanu designer clothes in private, and then take their new looks for a spin in front of the mirrors. And if they really love what they look like (and who wouldn’t?) they can Instagram themselves in front of a floral wall and share their new look with the world!